But here was my dilemma, how do I know the difference between a cupcake and a muffin. And I realized I am not the only one with this question. There are forums which have discussed the same issue, there is a blog about this issue and several other websites with the same question.

After reading through all of them, I realized that there are some subtle differences. Here are some indicators (I say indicators as some are still debating the differences)1. cupcake has frosting (mostly), muffins don't,2. cupcakes use cake flour (mostly), muffins don't,3. cupcakes have a higher content of sugar, muffins don't.

Armed with my knowledge, I was ready to bake my cupcakes. I needed a recipe. I read several recipes and then decided to create my own. I wanted to try a cupcake which included some of the spices I use in my everyday cooking . I decided on ginger, cardamom and jaggery cupcake. They are all strong flavors but went well together. I topped it with fresh cream frosting.

Method:Combine flour with baking soda and salt. Add the ginger, candied ginger and cardamom powder. Add it to the flour.Mix the melted jaggery slowly to the flour.Mix the butter and eggs. Add sugar slowly to the butter and egg mix.Then, mix it slowly to the flour and jaggery mix. Add the cream as needed till it becomes a smooth mix.I baked it in muffin pan.Heat the oven to 350 deg F. Bake for about 15 -20 minutes or till the toothpick comes out clean.Cool completely.

Hello and welcome to Ahaar. We have been cooking and posting recipes for more than 6 years now. I love to hear from you, all your comments and feedback. Please keep it coming. I will also try to answer any questions you have in the comments.